Municipal Bonds
 

CHECK OUT symbol "IIM" Invesco Value Municpal Income, paying 5.1% federal tax free

You're penalized for good, successful decisions in our country.

Houses do produce income. Remember some of us have own rental properties. All part of the retirement income portfolio.

Plus, the 4 to 5 months needed just to pay taxes.

OK, I'll play. Name something that's only up 15%.

Will raising rates end inflation? That's the only thing the FED is willing to do, but that's not the real solution. The real solution is to STOP PRINTING FAKE MONEY. In fact, in the history of the world, the only thing that's ever solved 50% inflation is to ISSUE A NEW CURRENCY and then DON'T INFLATE IT.

Yes, raising the rate the FED charges banks for their fake money, discourages banks from taking it, but not enough to convince them to quit paying the FED and start paying YOU. THAT would allow a real "soft landing", by attracting REAL INVESTMENT. Or, at least it would, if inflation wasn't already at these astronomic levels. At this point, I don't see any solution.

Mortgage rates are now over 6%. Is your savings account making any more than it was a year ago? There's your clue. For the 100 years prior to the 2008 crash, when Obama effectively nationalized the banking system, you could get 4.25% in any passbook savings account, through inflation, depression, recession, and what-have you. The banks WANTED and NEEDED your money. Now they don't. How do we recover from a banking system that doesn't want investment from the real economy?

Do you have any idea’s why it’s so high?

Agree 100%. The fed is doing what it can to stop inflation. The real culprit is just adding fuel to the fire

They'll say anything to make things look better when it definitely isn't. Food and gas are the major expenditures for most families.

Not true, it’s year over year not just 8 months. Actually the inflation is much worse month over month, I heard it’s over 11%. Gas was low years ago because we let the companies drill, we were an exporter of oil, compared to now which we are dependent on our enemies to drill oil for us. Gas is down now because we are depleting our national reserves which we shouldn’t be doing.
The reason why the market tanked yesterday was because they were looking for a bigger drop in inflation and it was higher than anticipated, and that’s after the federal reserve started raising rates. This month the federal reserve is going to start selling $90b of assets which will start to have a negative aspect to the economy.
I heard from an ex federal reserve member on TV that the only way to get inflation down is to have interest rates at the same level as inflation. If they raise rates .75-1%, we will be in a deeper recession

Social Security may go up 8.7% next year!!
 

The good news is that Social Security recipients may receive an 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment next year. That would be the largest increase since 1982!

The average recipient will receive about $144 a month extra! Now we can all go to Sawgrass!

I do so hope that was a general statement and not directed at me, I'd hate to have to leave the Village of Stu:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

It was not directed at you at all. As long as rent is paid on time you are still a resident and entitled to all the amenities we have to offer that we have not yet taken away.

But should I spend hours and hours comparing my amenity fee to my neighbors then whine about a $2.98 difference?????:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Canada's interest rates are very similar to US. ALL interest accrued in whichever way you choose (including dividends and capital gains) are tax free in a TFSA. $6000 a year can add up and make a difference, but we also have RRSP vehicles that are a tax deductible vehicle. Google it for more info if you wish.

Maybe not hours and hours but perhaps you should spend a little time. Can we compromise at 5 minutes once a week?

59.6 cents/minute/week? Probably a bit overpriced for that nonsense:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

An investment must generate revenue and can't have expenses? So, a technology ETF that generally doesn't pay dividends and has an expense ratio is NOT an investment? I can certainly understand the "house is not an investment" perspective but I've always considered my primary homes as investments. If I need to conform to your definition, I view capital appreciation as the revenue and I would be paying MORE of those expenses if I rented.

And the bad news is that will make the social security fund go dry even sooner.

Only "problem" is that you can only invest 10k per person and 15K if you overpay estimated taxes and you can add $5K if your tax refund is 5K or more.

Go to Aldi, there prices have stayed the same for many items, particularly dairy products.

Also warehouse stores still very fairly priced. Still can get a fully cooked chicken for $4.99 at Sams and BJ. Bought jumbo shrimp for <$10 a pound. $1.50 for head of lettuce. Don't forget the 1/4 pound hot dog with a drink for $1.50

Wrong. Inflation NEVER includes fuel and food. Look it up for crying out loud.
Shut off what you are listening to.

Depends on the inflation indicator. Most people refer to the CPI which includes food and energy. Core inflation does not include those components.

standard finance definition. . . many article written about it

The truth? Your house is not an investment | MoneyUnder30
Why Your Home Is Not An Investment | by Adam Del Duca | Making of a Millionaire
Your house is not an investment | David Moon
A Wharton Professor Explains Why a Home Isn't an Investment
Your Home is not an Investment, Sorry
https://jonluskin.com/your-home-is-not-an-investment/

should i keep going?

but you can do whatever you want to do, you can think whatever you want to think, there is no thought police here. but if you want to think financially correct, you might want to think a bit differently. Do i care how you think about your house? not in the least. I couldn't care less.

finance guy

What does The Villages use to calculate the increase in amenity fees?

It depends. Cars: When I was in high school and college I bought and sold maybe 20 cars. I always made a profit. I started with a 1939 Chevy business coupe I bought in 1957 for $35. When I graduated college in 1964 I owned a 1956 Jaguar XK140 roadster and a 1957 Cadillac Fleetwood. I sold the Jag at a huge profit and drove the Cadillac all over the country for a while. Wish I had never sold that Jag...

Houses: I bought my first house for about $28,000 in Alexandria, VA in 1967, sold it six months later netting $33,000. I put as little as possible down and was leveraged to the hilt but houses were appreciating at that time. I have never taken a hit on a house and I have moved a lot so have owned many. My last Newport Beach house cost me $650K in 1994 and is now worth $3.5M. I lived in it until I moved here a few years ago. Rather than sell it and get killed by $1.2 M in income taxes (CA taxes LTCGs as regular income, top rate 13.3%) I rent it out at $7,500/mo.

As far as houses costing a person to own, we all have to live somewhere! Rent is usually paid out of after tax dollars and renting a nice home can be expensive if you can find one in a good area. Plus the landlord can raise the rent, sell the house or even kick you out and move back in. I would rather own.

You can always make us an offer. Or we can uncle Guido make you an offer you cannot refuse.

WOW!!! Why does anyone stay in California???

Here is quote from your first link, "can only be an investment if you sell them for a profit." Uh, who doesn't sell a home for a profit?
2nd link - " aren’t appreciating enough on average to beat inflation" LMAO. Have you seen home prices the last 3 years. They have appreciated 10x over inflation
3rd link - Every investment does not need to be the "centerpiece of your retirement plan", it can simply be a part of a well diversified basket of assets. I also don't rely on "housing inflation to provide for {my} financial independence."
4th link- "If what you're spending each month on housing jumps when you move from renting to owning, that's not necessarily a wise financial move just because you're getting equity." This author must not live in The Villages. Costs to carry a modest home are approximately $12,000-$16,000. Costs to rent a modest home are $18,000-$22,000. Seems like an easy financial decision.
5th link - "An investment is something you buy with money expecting it to produce more money than it cost" So, last 3 years, my home has appreciated $145,000 and carrying costs were $41,000. Sounds like an outstanding INVESTMENT. $104,000 gain!
6th link - "Yet, when calculating the investment return on your personal residence, you very likely lost money after including the ongoing costs of homeownership." This guy definitely doesn't live in TV or skipped his math classes.

"should I keep going"? Uh, yes if you want to prove your point.
"but if you want to think financially correct, you might want to think a bit differently" No thanks, I'm good.

If inflation would lessen our countries domestic policies would have to change and reflect that their domestic policies are not helping our economy and are only making it worse.

It figures
 

There is an old saying

Figures don’t lie but Liars can figure!

Good point

Well I think we all know why without anybody giving any hints!

Is Amtrak hiring???
 

I just saw that the threatened Amtrak strike has been resolved.

The new contract provides rail employees a 24 percent wage increase during the five-year period from 2020 through 2024, including an immediate payout on average of $11,000 upon ratification.”

Well, THAT won't contribute to inflation:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Wow talk about giving away the store

Oh wait a min. watch the pointing fingers you’ll get banned, LOL. Don’t mention names!

No it didn’t get resolved the govt. put a halt to it for now because they say the country is hurting bad enough from what they did. My grandson is a controller at the Ft. Worth TX. hub. He said basically the strike has been put on hold for now. It hasn’t been resolved!

Who got us into this mess? It wasn’t the railroad employees.

I can say you are a wealth of misinformation it is not an Amtrac Strike.
It contract dispute between unions and tail transportation owners like Union Pacific, CSX...
Amtrak was going to cancel passenger traffic rails they do not own or control.

Anyone feel as I do? Some participants hog these threads.

Out of 92 posts 12 are one poster. No wonder his count is so high. And that's just one thread!

Does he have to comment on so many comments?

Feeling grumpy today. I know I can skip his posts.